MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. — Four of the nine people who died in McNairy County during tornadoes on March 31 all died in the same home, leaving their families' lives changed forever. Now, one woman in McNairy County who’s lived there her entire life, is helping them pick up the pieces.
"I think God had everything to do with it,” McNairy County resident, Chris Boleyn said. “It was just meant for us to meet at that time."
Boleyn has lived in McNairy County for her whole life but said she’s never experienced something like this. The storm rocking the Avila and Littlefield families lives.
"Chris has been an angel,” Jackelyn Avila said. I spoke to her this morning, we speak almost everyday since."
Selmer, a city in McNairy County, is where Maria and William Avila and Myrna and Allen Littlefield died during the severe weather just weeks ago. The Avila's daughter, Jackelyn Avila, said the couple was visiting friends in McNairy County when the storm came through.
She and her siblings were waiting for their parents to return home when she received the worst news of her life.
"I hadn't seen that they had arrived home yet. -- To know that it's about two weeks now since I last seen them, it's been hard,” Avila said.
As soon as Jackelyn and her siblings arrived where the home once was, they met Chris, creating a bond neither Jackelyn or Chris will ever forget.
"I guess I just wanted to help," Boleyn said.
Both of them agree, God is what brought them together and held the family up during such a tragic time.
"We speak everyday, she was the light in this situation, she took the reigns from the moment she met us,” Avila said. “I remember pulling up to the house and not even knowing where to go just because there was so much debris everywhere."
Now Avila is back in Florida but Chris is still praying for her family and leaving kind gestures where they took their final breaths.
"They had to leave together,” Avila said. “And I'm happy that even though I lost both parents - it's hard, but they're together."
The family is asking for prayers as they cope with the aftermath of the storm and losing both of their parents.